Farhad Vahid

Background: Dietary carotenoids and vitamin A may contribute to gastric cancer (GC) prevention through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms; however, epidemiological evidence remains limited. We investigated the associations of total and individual carotenoid and vitamin A intakes with GC and their relationships with inflammatory/oxidative stress biomarkers. Methods: The case–control study included 177 adults (82 GC incidence cases/95 controls). A validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire assessed dietary intakes of individual carotenoids and preformed vitamin A. Metabolic biomarkers, lipid profile, inflammatory/oxidative stress markers [e.g., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α ), interleukins (6/1 β /10/4), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA)] were measured. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) for GC risk; linear regression models examined associations between carotenoid intakes and biomarkers. Results: Total carotenoid (mg/d; OR: 0.86, 95%CI: 0.81–0.98), β -carotene (mg/d; OR: 0.77, 95%CI: 0.65–0.90) and vitamin A (mg RAE/d; OR: 0.29, 95%CI: 0.09–0.95) intakes, as continuous variables, and also as binary variables (based on the median cut-offs), in all models (also adjusted for age, sex, smoking, education, marital status, physical activity, cancer history, H. pylori , NSAIDs intake, body mass index, total energy intake), were inversely associated with GC odds. In fully adjusted models, higher total carotenoid intake (mg/d) was associated with lower LDL-c ( β : −1.60, 95%CI: −2.91, −0.25) and IL-6 ( β : −7.92, 95%CI: −14.00, −2.00); lycopene (mg/d) with higher LDL-c ( β : 2.030, 95%CI: 0.27, 4.31) and vitamin A intake (mg RAE/d) with lower TNF- α ( β : −12.12, 95%CI: −24.71, −0.47) and higher TAC ( β : 0.64, 95%CI: 0.001, 1.27). Conclusion: Higher intakes of total carotenoids and vitamin A were associated with lower odds of GC and more favorable profiles of inflammatory/oxidative stress biomarkers. These findings support an inverse association between carotenoid-rich dietary patterns and gastric carcinogenesis.

Lower adherence to Westernized diets was linked to reduced overweight/obesity risk and more favourable metabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress profiles, supporting the Westernized Dietary Index (WDI) as a practical, valid tool.

Dietary carotenoids may have independent positive impacts on a range of health-related outcomes such as obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine t

Background: Dietary transitions toward Westernized patterns (WDPs) (high in processed foods, sugars, and fats) pose a global public health challenge. The Westernized Diet Index (WDI) measures adherence to these patterns. However, its validity with respect to metabolic biomarkers warrants thorough evaluation for use in epidemiological and clinical research. Objectives: This study validates the WDI using metabolic biomarkers (including anthropometrics, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides, HDL-c, LDL-c, and total cholesterol), examines its association with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and compares scoring methods to identify the most effective measure of WDPs adherence. Methods: Data from 10,146 participants in the Fasa Adult Cohort Study (FACS) were used. We calculated the WDI using global (WDI-G) and population (WDI-P) Z scores and food group (WDI-FG)-based algorithms. Validation employed logistic and linear regression, ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves, Youden’s index, and k-means clustering. Results: All WDI scoring methods (across all methods, higher scores indicated lower adherence to WDPs) demonstrated a strong, significant association with all three MetS definitions (WHO, NCEP: ATPIII, and IDF) and nearly all investigated metabolic biomarkers. In fully adjusted logistic models, WDI Global (WDI-G) (OR: 0.23) and WDI Food Groups (WDI-FG) (OR: 0.26) were significantly associated with MetS (based on the WHO definition). Also, in fully adjusted linear regression models, a 10% increase (reflecting lower adherence to WDPs) in the WDI-G score (range: −2.03 to 1.11) was significantly associated with a 3.96 mg/dL reduction in FBG and a 2.61 cm reduction in waist circumference. Additionally, ROC curves (AUC: 0.57–0.61) demonstrated that WDI predicts MetS with moderate accuracy. The strongest associations were observed with population-based scoring. In addition, based on comparative performance, WDI-G, WDI-P, and WDI-FG appear most suitable for cross-population, within-cohort, and mechanistic or intervention-focused research, respectively. Conclusions: The WDI shows promise as a nutritional tool for assessing adherence to WDPs and exploring associations with metabolic health outcomes, including MetS. These findings suggest that the WDI may be useful in future dietary, public health, and clinical research, although further validation in diverse populations is warranted.

Background/Objectives: Recent research indicates a global transition from healthy and balanced diets to unhealthy Westernized dietary patterns (WDPs). This transition is linked to increased rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, often preceded by metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a diet quality index, termed Westernized Diet Index (WDI), to assess adherence to WDPs and its association with main cardiometabolic health issues, for which MetS and its components were chosen as representatives of NCDs. Methods: The development of the WDI was driven by a semi-systematic and comprehensive examination of the literature (n = 491 articles) that evaluated the influence of WDP components on health outcomes. The scoring algorithm involved multiple steps, assigning scores based on study design, sample size, and the direction of food effects on health outcomes. Results: The final developed index encompassed 30 food groups/items. It was revealed that soft drinks, processed foods, red meat, sodium, and hydrogenated fats had the most detrimental effects on health, significantly influencing the index’s coefficients. In contrast, dietary fiber, plant-based metabolites, vitamins, minerals, nuts/seeds, and fish had the most substantial beneficial impacts. Conclusions: The WDI aligns with the existing literature on the importance of specific food items and with other validated diet quality indices, e.g., the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Thus, the WDI can provide evidence for clinicians and researchers in formulating evidence-based dietary guidelines as well as strategies for the prevention and treatment of diet-related health issues. However, further validation is proposed to verify the WDI’s capability across different contexts.

Despite the widespread importance of addressing obesity as a major public health concern, the combination of conventional weight management strategies (e.g., diet and exercise) with complementary therapies (e.g., reflexology) remains understudied. This study assessed the effects of a multicomponent intervention, including calorie restriction (CR), exercise (EX), and foot reflexology (FR) (a well-documented complementary therapy) on body composition and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women with obesity, hypothesizing greater improvements with reflexology added to CR + EX. In this randomized clinical trial, 40 women with obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30) were randomly assigned to a CR + EX group (n = 20) and a CR + EX + FR group (n = 20). Two intervention groups before, 7, and 14 weeks after the interventions were compared in body composition, e.g., body fat and BMI, and CVD risk factors, e.g., high- and low-density lipoprotein (HDL and LDL) and diastolic-systolic blood pressure (DBP and SBP). Student's t-test and repeated measures t-test with a significance level of < 0.05 were used to compare differences between and within groups. There was a significant decrease in BMI (mean difference (MD)=-1.23), body weight (MD=-3.35), BF (MD=-3.55), GL (MD=-0.47), cholesterol (MD=-7.45), TG (MD=-6.50), SBP (MD=-2.75), MM (MD = 0.97) and HDL (MD = 1.90) after 14 weeks of intervention in the CR + EX + FR comparing the CR + EX group (p < 0.05). However, the LDL (MD=-0.55), DBP (MD=-1.65) reduction, and FFM (MD=-2.24) maintenance did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). The combination of CR, EX, and FR shows promise in improving body composition (reducing BF, BMI, and weight), lipid profiles (lowering total cholesterol and TG, increasing HDL), and blood pressure. This integrated multicomponent intervention approach may effectively manage obesity-related complications and enhance cardiovascular health. Further research is needed to assess long-term effects and underlying mechanisms.

Background: Hypertension, a major concern for older adults, contributes to morbidity and mortality by increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney dysfunction, and cognitive decline. A healthy diet plays a vital role in limiting chronic disease progression in aging populations. Aim: This study investigated the association between diet quality and healthy aging, focusing on blood pressure measurements (BPMs), using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Methods: Participants aged 45–85 years at baseline were followed for up to nine years. Mediterranean diet score (MDS) was determined based on the validated short diet questionnaire (SDQ). BP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured at baseline (2010), follow-up 1 (2015), and follow-up 2 (2018). Linear regression models (LRMs), linear mixed-effects models (LMMs), and latent change score models (LCSMs) examined the associations and longitudinal effect between MDS and BPMs, adjusted for potential confounders. Individuals who participated in all three waves (n = 25,377) were included. Results: Fully adjusted LRMs showed significant (p < 0.001) inverse associations between MDS and all BPMs across all time points, e.g., 1 unit increase in the MDS (min0-max50) was associated with a 0.058 mmHg decrease of diastolic BP (DBP) (β=-0.058), 0.052 mmHg systolic BP (SBP) (β=-0.052), and 0.056 mmHg MAP (β=-0.056). LCSMs indicated that a 1-unit higher baseline MDS was significantly associated with 0.090 mmHg reductions in DBP at follow-up 2 (β=-0.090,p < 0.001), 0.078 mmHg for SBP (β=-0.078,p = 0.002) and 0.076 mmHg for MAP (β=-0.076,p = 0.003). Changes in MDS during follow-ups showed no consistent significant associations with BPMs at follow-up 1 or 2. Discussion and conclusion: Higher MDS was associated with lower BPMs over time. This study highlights the role of diet quality in healthy aging and mitigating cardiometabolic risk in older adults.